An acquaintance recently sent me a photo of a .25 ACP pistol that he inherited from his late father. The design is clearly based on the Colt 1908 with the exception of the thumb safety arrangement and the lack of a grip safety. However, the markings would indicate manufacture by the Czech firm CZ.

Unfortunately, I can't find any detailed references for a single action CZ .25 ACP.

Destructo6

November 11, 1999, 05:12 PM

Was it the CZ-27?
http://sarcoinc.com/images/czechp27.jpg

It does look similar to the Colt 1908:
http://www.rkba.net/images/Colt_M1908_Pistol_IMAGE_FILE.jpg

Daniel Watters

November 11, 1999, 05:35 PM

No, the CZ to which I am referring is a near exact clone of the Colt Model 1908 (Vest) Pocket Hammerless .25 ACP (http://www.coltautos.com/1908vp.htm), not the Colt Model 1908 Pocket Hammerless .380 ACP.

Sorry for the confusion.

James K

November 11, 1999, 11:49 PM

Hi, Daniel,

I think the pistol you are referring to is the one that was called the "Z" pistol. As you say, it resembles the Colt .25, but has no grip safety and the grasping grooves in the slide are fewer and wider. It takes down just like the Colt. It also has no mag safety (but the early Colt's didn't, either).

It is one of the better European .25's but value is not high and there is little collector interest. Unless you meet a rabid CZ collector, retail price is about $100-125. Matthews pictures one in Volume II, picture No. 111.

There was also a Czech gun made by F. Dusek, called the "DUO" that would fill the bill except that it was not made by CZ.

Jim

Daniel Watters

November 12, 1999, 05:35 AM

Thanks Jim. Any idea as to the time frame of its production?

James K

November 15, 1999, 04:24 PM

Not sure, 1920's as a guess.

BTW, Destructo6, that is a very nice Colt and not a bad CZ, either. You have some good stuff.

Jim

[This message has been edited by Jim Keenan (edited November 15, 1999).]

Jeff OTMG

November 16, 1999, 04:27 AM

As Jim said the Duo is a possibility. Dusheck began manufacture in 1926, but it is still being produced today as the Z pistol by Brno. I am assuming that the pistol has a 6 shot mag and is single action.